Joined fibrous bodied article and method of producing same



Lai' 'R369 E. C. SLOAN JOINED FIBROUS BODIED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME oiginal Filed May 19, 1934 Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOINED FIBROUS BODIED ARTICLE AND lliIETHOD` F PRODUCING SAMIE Edward C. Sloan, Geneva, Ill., assigner to Jesse B. Hawley, Geneva, Ill.

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to the producing of articles the bodies of which are of fibrous material and are so provided with a thermoplastic substance of a resinous base as to present in the produced articles given any predetermined physical properties and characteristics with or without decorative or artistic eiects, and among the objects of the invention is to provide novel articles of the character mentioned above and a novel process of producing the same.

The method or process of this invention generally comprises providing the article body with a thermoplastic substance having the characteristics and properties later more fully described, with or without decorative or ornamental means or media, and subjecting the aggregate to heat and pressure to effect the finished article.

The thermoplastic substance referred to is in the class of synthetic resinous compounds known as the vinyl resins of the polymerization group and Vmore particularly those which are permanently thermoplastic, characterized by the bond group or radical -CI-IzCI-Iz, and which are ins'oluble in most all known solvents, particularly the hydrocarbon solvents, except the solvents of the ester type or the higher ketones, such as hexone and butyrone. In other words, the substance used in this invention is chemically inert to the extent indicated above and hence is impervious to and proof against moisture, water, acids, alkalies, alcohols, oils, greases, fats, and the like. In its normally pure state it is odor1ess,tasteless, colorless, and transparent. It is also non-inflam mable. It may be given any color or made translucent or opaque as desired by the incorporating or mixing therewith of dyes, pigments, fillers, or the like. It is also tough, durable and resilient. It also has a very strong bonding or adhesive property. If a pliant characteristic be desired, a plasticizer may be added to it to the extent of the pliability required. It may be applied either in liquid or solid form or both. In the solid or nonliquid state it may be in any desired form, such as sheets, films, strips, bars, rods, and the like.

. When using this substance in liquid form, acetone preferably is used as the solvent but it is to be understood other solvents as mentioned above may be used without affecting the idea of invention herein disclosed.

' In the forms selected to illustrate the invention the body is made by the developing and joining or the developing, bending and joining of iibrous sheets, such as fibre board, binders board and the like, into the desired shape, such as a cabinet, box and the like, and the applying thereto and uniting therewith of the thermoplastic substance mentioned with or without but preferably with decorative means, such as wood veneer, decorative sheets, dyed or pigmented colorings of the thermoplastic substance mentioned, with or with- P out other decorative means, such as Wood veneer, design sheets, and the like, the coverings and decorative means joining at or being bent over at the corners to provide for smooth continuity from a surface to another in different planes.

Other objects, capabilities, advantages and the like, are comprehended by the invention as will later appear and as are inherently possessed by the invention.

This is a division of my co-pending application identified under Serial No. 726,610, filed May 19, 1934, which has become Patent 2,013,865.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view with parts ,in broken section, on an enlarged scale, of an 20 article such as a cabinet with jointed corners and united coverings of veneer and the thermoplastic substance mentioned;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View with parts shown in broken section of a part of the article shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing an article with a joint of continuity of the body and decorative sheets at the corners; and,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a developed sheet used 30 to produce the body of the article shown in Fig. 3.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the invention is illustrated in a few forms of articles constructed in accordance therewith. The arti- ,1 cles shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are made up from 35 fibrous sheets, such as fibre board, binders board and the like, covered with decorative sheets, such as wood veneer, design sheets, dyed or pigmented sheets of the thermoplastic substance mentioned, with or without further design means or elements united to the surface of the article. As shown these articles may be boxes, cabinets, such as radio, speaker, music and similar cabinets, and the like. In the case of a radio cabinet, the g latter is usually opened at the back for ready access into the cabinet. Such a cabinet consists of a front wall or panel, end walls, a top wall and a bottom wall. It is preferable that the walls be connected together at their meeting edges by some joining means, matched or continuous, to give the cabinet rigidity and strength.

Each of the sheets of the cabinet shown in Figs.

1 and 2, is covered on the side to be the outside when forming a wall of the cabinet, with a layer or sheet of the thermoplastic substance mentioned. If the substance be applied in liquid form it is allowed to dry until all the volatile solvent has evaporated. It will penetrate into the interstices of the fibrous sheet to become united therewith. If a sheet of the thermoplastic substance be placed on the fibrous sheet it may be held in place by a few touches of the liquid substance or by applying heat at a few spots.

The sheets are then die cut to proper size and to provide joining means, such as the tongue and groove type of joint, at those edges of the sheet to be joined to other sheets in the final assembly. To the edges of the tongues and grooves are applied some of the thermoplastic substance to act as a bond therefor when the wall sheets are joined as later explained. The sheets are then joined together by matching the tongues and grooves to form the cabinet body or the like. The outer surface of the cabinet is then covered with decorative sheets, such as wood veneer or other decorative sheets as desired, together with one or more layers or sheets of the thermoplastic substance. The decorative sheets may each be of the same size as the face covered 'by it and have its edges meet the edges of the sheets on the adjoining faces at the corner of the adjoining faces, or if desired the decorative sheet, such as the wood veneer, may be large enough to cover two or more faces of the cabinet and ymay be bent over the corner or corners so as to provide a continuity of the sheet around the corner. When the assembly is subjected to heat and pressure, the thermoplastic substance fuses and penetrates the interstices of the fibrous and decorative sheets as also of the tongues and grooves of the adjoined sheets, to become united thereto and to unite them firmly together to produce a rigid unitary article fully as strong as if the article were made wholly of wood or the like.

Referring more in detail to Figs. 1 and 2, the article is shown as comprising a wall |3|, such as a top wall, and walls |32 and |33 which may be side and end walls of a cabinet. The top wall |3| is joined to the side or end wall |33 by tongues |34 matching with tongues |35 and the bonding thermoplastic substance |36 between the matched tongues. Likewise the side and end walls |32 and |33 are joined by matching the tongues |31 and |38 of the walls |33 and |32 respectively, and the bonding thermoplastic substance |3S between the matched tongues.

The outer surfaces of the walls are covered with a covering |40 of the thermoplastic substance, the same being integral with the bonding substance |36 and |39, and being firmly united to the surface portions of the walls by penetrating into the interstices of the fibrous material. Covering the wall faces and being united to the covering |49, are decorative sheets |4| and |42, such as wood veneer or the like, the sheets 4| and |42 abutting at the corner of the adjoining walls. If desired the decorative sheet may be in one piece and bent over the corner of the adjoining walls. In either event the decorative means is covered with a'covering |43 of the thermoplastic substance which is firmly united to the decorative means and provides a covering for the whole article.

In the process of producing this article, the walls, after they have been covered with the thermoplastic substance, and die cut, are joined by matching the tongues and grooves; then this assembly is covered with the thermoplastic substance, preferably in sheet form; then covered with the decorative sheet or sheets, and then substance forms a firm bond to maintain the parts together in a rigid unit. The surfaces of the dies are preferably smooth so as to mold a glossy or lustrous surface on the covering |43. The next step is to cool the assembly and the dies while still maintaining the pressure, so that the thermoplastic substance will solidify and bond the parts into a rigid unit. After cooling the pressure is removed by removing the dies. This leaves a finished article as above described, having the appearance and also the strength of a similar article made wholly of wood, and having a tough, durable and lustrous surface.

If desired any other decorative element |44 may be embedded in the covering |43 and united to the veneer |42 by the thermoplastic substance.

Also, instead of providing a veneer over the entire surface of the article, if desired, the covering |40 of the thermoplastic substance may be dyed or pigmented with any desired or given color effect, and the veneer |4||42 omitted. The colored covering may be the covering for the whole article, or the transparent covering |43 may be used as the covering for the whole article. Decorative elements may be inlaid in the colored covering and covered by a transparent covering |43.

a cabinet as above mentioned, may be made from a single sheet of fibrous material, such as binders board or the like, by bending at given loci to form certain corners, and joining certain edges to form other corners. The sheet shown in Fig. 4 (on a reduced scale) may be one or more thicknesses of the binders board united together with the thermoplastic substance mentioned. A face of the sheet is covered b-y a layer or sheet |50 of the thermoplastic substance. The sheet is die cut to proper size and to provide the wall portions |5| (front wall), |52 and |53 (end walls), |54 (top wall), |55 (bottom wall), and joint tongues and grooves at certain edges. Scorings or the like |56 and |51 are provided at the junctures bctween the wall portion 5| and the other wall portions to facilitate the bending of the sheet to form corners. A suitable amount of the thermoplastic substance may be applied to the edges of the tongues and grooves to act as a bonding agent when the assembly is later subjected to heat and pressure.

The sheet is bent at the scorings to form corners, a corner between the front and top walls |5| and |54 being shown in section in Fig. 3. The covering |50 may be covered with a decorative sheet, such as wood veneer, design sheet, metal foil of any configuration, etc., as desired. In the form shown in Fig. 3, it is covered with a sheet |58 of pigmented thermoplastic substance which later blends with the covering |50 when heat and pressure are applied. A decorative element |59, such as wood veneer, or design sheet, and the like, may then be applied in the colored covering |58, later becoming inlaid in such covering, as shown in Fig. 3. Then the outer surface of the assembly has a covering |50 of preferably transparent thermoplastic substance.

Such an assembly is subjected to heat and Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the article, such as l Cil pressure by application of properly formed and heated dies having given surface contours to mold the surface of the covering |60. The heat and pressure cause the thermoplastic material to fuse and to enter the interstices of the fibrous sheets and the decorative sheet to unite therewith and to unite them together in a rigid unit-and also to unite and blend with the pigmented covering, and to unite and blend with the thermoplastic substance between the tongues of the joints to firmly bind them together. The decorative element |59 which may be wood veneer, or contoured metal foil, or any other type of decorative means, is preferably bent and located to cover the corner, so that there is a continuity of the sheet |59, and the pressure of the dies forces the sheet |59 into the pigmented covering |58 to become an inlay therein, the surfaces of the sheets |58 and |59 being flush or even.

The corner portion of the fibrous sheet portion |54|5| is a continuous or integral joint by the bending of the sheet at the scored locus. This provides for a strong joint or corner with no danger of parting thereat. By bending the decorative element |59 around the corner, the continuity of the joint is maintained and the corner is strengthened or reinforced.

If desired, the wood veneer may cover the Whole surface of the article, in which case a pigmented covering |58 will not be necessary. The veneer sheet may be cut to the shape and size of the sheet shown in Fig. 4 but without the tongue and groove feature, the edges of the end wall portions of the veneer sheet meeting in abutting lines with the end edges of the top and bottom wall portions at the jointed corners of sheet portions |52 and |53 with the sheet portions |55 and |54. The covering |60, when solidified, firmly unites these veneer edges together. At the corners between the wall portion |5| and the portions |54, |55, |52 and |53, the veneer will be bent and continuous or integral.

Because of the creasing or scoring of the sheet at |56 and |51 and the bending of the sheet to form the corner joint, the material is so upset as to produce ribs |6|, |62 and |63 with intermediate grooves |64 and |65. It is preferable to unite thereto some of the thermoplastic substance |66 which when fused and then solidified will strengthen or reinforce the joint or bend.

When convenient instead of deriving all of the heat from the dies to produce the desired effect, the assembly of the parts may be separately heated in any suitable manner, not suicient to cause the thermoplastic substance to prematurely fuse or become plastic before the dies are applied. In such case the dies will not need to be heated as much as when all of the heat necessary for the desired effect must be supplied wholly from the dies. The added heat when the dies are applied, will be suflicient to render the thermoplastic substance fluidal and become molded as described above. In that way a more thorough and a quicker thermoplastic action is effected, and the time of cooling is decreased. Less heat is necessary in the dies and hence the dies cool more quickly.

While I have disclosed a few embodiments of the invention and a mode of producing them, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but comprehends other constructions, details, arrangements of parts, features and process steps Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim: 1. A method of making an article comprismg covering a sheet of fibrous material with a` thermoplastic substance of a resinous base whereby said substance penetrates into the surface portion of said sheet and provides a covering of said substance on said surface of said sheet, forming joining means at given edges of said sheet, covering the edges of said joining means With said substance, joining said sheet to another similar sheet to form a joint between said sheets, placing sheets of veneer having a covering of said substance thereon on the surfaces of said joined sheets, applying heat and pressure thereto to fuse said substance to unite said sheets and mold said substance to form a covering for said article, cooling the same, and removing the pressure.

2. A method of making an article composed of a body of fibrous material and a covering of a solidified thermoplastic substance of a resinous base, comprising the covering of a surface of a sheet of iibrous material with said substance, scoring the sheet at a given locus for bending the sheet to form a corner, then bending said 4sheet thereat, placing a sheet of said substance including coloring matter over the surface and over the corner of said bent sheet, applying heat and pressure to the assembly to fuse said substance, to unite the sheets and to form a covering for the article, cooling the same, and removing the pressure.

3. An article comprising a body composed of joined sheets of fibrous material, and a covering of solidified thermoplastic vinyl resin of the bond group CII:CH2 united to said sheets to form a rigid unit.

4. An article comprising a body composed of joined sheets of fibrous material, and a covering of solidified thermoplastic vinyl resin of the bond group CHzCI-I2 united to said sheets to form a rigid unit, the surface of said covering being smooth and lustrous.

5. An article comprising a body composed of sheets of fibrous material joined at given edges thereof to form corners, and a covering of solidified thermoplastic Vinyl resin of the bond group CH:CH2 covering the surface of said body and united to said sheets to form a rigid unit.

6. An article comprising a body composed of joined sheets of fibrous material, a decorative sheet covering said body, and a covering of solidified thermoplastic vinyl resin of the bond group CHzCHz united to and uniting said sheets to form a rigid unit and to provide a covering for said decorative sheet.

7. An article comprising a body composed of joined sheets of fibrous material, a sheet of wood veneer covering said body, and a covering of solidied thermoplastic vinyl resin of the bond group CH2CH2 united to and uniting said sheets to form a rigid unit and to provide a covering for said veneer.v

8. An article comprising a bent sheet of fibrous material to form the body of the article, and a covering of a solidified thermoplastic vinyl resin of the bond group CHzCHz inclosing said body and united thereto to form a rigid unit and to provide a covering for said body.

9. An article comprising a bent sheet of fibrous material to form the body of the article, a decorative sheet covering the surface of said body, and a covering of a solidified thermoplastic. vinyl resin of the bond group CI-IzCI-Iz inclosing said sheets and united thereto and uniting said sheets to form a rigid unit and to provide a covering for said decorative sheet.

EDWARD C'. SLOAN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,041,974. May 26, 1936.

EDWARD C. SLOAN.

ror appears in the printed specification of Henry Van Aredal@ (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patenw., 

